A numerative in Hoyloy typically 'cobuilds' with a preceding number to form a quantitative construction for use as an adjective of quantity or denoting a specified quantity of the object counted. Given below is a collection of numeratives of frequent use in daily Hoyloy. They are listed under four categories; namely, numeratives for individual objects, numeratives for portions or assemblages of matter, numeratives for grouping, and self-contained numeratives. Usually the same object may be counted by more than one numerative of the same or different category except the last one. Examples:
1. [tzit_lwi=(+)/hwe=] 'a flower' or [tzit_qi-/hwe=] 'a flower (borne on a twig)';
2. [sa~-lyap_/tsiK=a"] 'three grains of rice', [sa~-bpau-/tsiK=a"] 'three bags of rice', and
[sa~-tzyOng=(+)/tsiK=a"] 'three kinds of rice'.
Numeratives for indivisual objects
1.For persons: [e+] or [wi-]. [wi-] meaning 'seat' literally, is used to show politeness. Examples:
- [sa~-e-(_)/haK_si(E)Ng= tzit_e-(_)/dta-bpO=|e' nNg_e-(_)/tza-bO"|e' ham_\tzit_wi_/lau_sj=]
- 'three students, one man and two women, and one teacher'
2.For animals: [tzyaQ-] or [b(/w)e"]. [b(/w)e"] meaning 'tail' is used for fish, worms or snakes. Examples:
- [Ri_tzap_b(/w)e=(+)/nyu-(_)a" gO_tzyaQ"/aQ"a" ham_\qau-(+)tzyaQ"/dtj(u)-]
- 'twenty silkworms, five ducks and nine pigs'.
3.For plants: [tzaNg+]. Examples:
- [tzit_tzaNg-(_)/tsi(E)Ng_a" nNg_tzaNg-(_)/ya=siQ-]
- [one banyan tree and two coconut trees]
4.For flowers: [lwi"] or [qi=]. [qi=] is used for a flower borne on a twig'.
5.For vegetable: [qi=]/[tzaNg+]/[g(w)e~Q-]/[swi-]. [tzaNg+] for the whole plants while [qi=] for the
- branched pieces. [g(/w)e~Q-] for pods of bean or the like while [swi-] for ears of corn.
6.For pieces of clothing or sheets: [nya"]. Examples:
- [tzit_nya=(+)/mi-(_)tzyoQ"p(/w)e- sa~-nya=(+)/sa~= ham_\nNg_nya=(+)/kO']
- 'one cottom quilt, three upper-garments, and two pairs of trousers'.
7. For hats or sedan chairs: [dti(E)Ng"].
8. For furniture: [tzyaQ-]/[dte'] for chairs and tables; [dtyu~=]/[e+] for beds.
9. For small utensils: [dte'] for dishes, bowls, mats etc.. [qi=] for handtools such as brooms,
- screwdrivers, scissors, clippers etc.
10. For books: [bpun"].
11. For stick-like items: [qi=].
12. For sheet-like items: [dtyu~=], [pi~'] or [nya~"]. [dtyu~=] for sheets of paper and [pi~'] for
- wooden boards or sheet metal or sliced goods while [nya~"] is used for flexible and whole pieces.
13. For thread-like items such as strings, ropes, belts, rivers and roads: [dtyau+].
14. For lump-like items such as bricks, cakes, chops of meat or cuttings of material: [dte'].
15. For logs: [kO=].
16. For chips, pills or fine particles: [lyap=(+/-)].
17. For drops of liquid: [dtiQ-]
18. For sections: [tzat-] or [tzet-]. Examples:
- [tzit_tzat=/qam-tzya'] 'one section of a sugar cane'; [nNg_tzet=/ko'] 'two periods of class'.
19. For lobes of fruit such as grapefruit: [ban-].
20. For divided parts: [bpi(E)Ng+]
21. For portable items: [e+], [qai~+] or [ka=].
- [e+] and [qai~+], the former being more formal than the latter, are interchangeable numeratives for
- envelops, cartons, boxes, baskets, locks, mats, pillows, basins, tanks, pails, drums etc.
- [ka=] meaning 'leg' literally may be used for counting individual items which are usually counted by
- the pair such as shoes and chopsticks but it is more frequently used for counting hand-carrying
- containers such as cartons, boxes, baskets and pails.
22. For statues: [sen=]/[tzo-]. [sen=] is usually used for idols or images.
23. For machines and vehicles and equipment such as computers or radios: [dtai+].
24. For houses and rooms: [qi(E)Ng=].
25. For doors and windows: [si~'] meaning 'fan' or [pi~'] meaning 'thin plate'.
26. For walls: [dtO"] or [pi~'].
27. For lightings or torches: [pa=].
28. For stores [qi(E)Ng=] or [kam"].
29. For buildings: [dtOng'].
30. For constructions such as bridges and towers: [tzo-].
31. For bookkeeping entries: [bpit=] (a stroke of writing).
32. For rounds of performance/happening:
- [tzun-] meaning moment of time something is happening such as
- [tzit_tzun_/Rit_tau+ tzit_tzun_/hOng= qaQ"\hO-] 'one shift of sun and one shift of wind and rain';
- [dtNg'] for meals such as [tzit_Rit=(+/-) sa~-dtNg"/bpNg-] 'three meals a day';
- [tsut-] for acts on stage, or sometimes [bO-] meaning 'curtain';
- [dtyu~+] for rounds of perfornance or exhibition;
- [tOng=] meaning 'to go through' for telephone calls.
33. For itemized objects: [haNg-]/[qya~-]. Examples:
- [li" ai"/e_/qi"dtit=/sa~-haNg_/dtai_tzi'] 'you must keep three things in mind';
- [paNg"qi~"/nNg_haNg_/qe-si=] 'two items of handtool are missing'.
34. For songs: [dtyau+]/[syu"].
35. For poems: [pi~=]/[syu"]. Also [qu'] for verses or lines and [dtwa~-] for stanzas or sections.
36. For paintings: [hu']/[bpaK-] if such paintings are framed. Use [dtyu~=] for any sketches or drawings
- on a piece of paper.
Some numeratives of this category are used as morphemes for related words; e.g. [tsi~-a=tzaNg+] 'betel-nut-tree', [swan"a=ban-] 'garlic bulbs peeled off', [sam-a=kO=] 'trunk of a felled tree usually valuable'.
Numeratives for portions or assemblages of matter
All names of containers, packages and measures may be used as numeratives of this category. By measures we usually mean standard units for comparison of magnitude. Although containers may be standardized and used for measures, specific terms are often coined to avoid confusion. Also no containers or packages may be used as units for comparison of weight.
1.[aNg'] 'jar' as in [tzit_aNg"/tzyu~"tsai'] 'one jar of seasoned vetageble';
2.[ap=(+/-)]/[aQ=(-/+)] 'box/case usually of pasteboard' as in [tzit_ap_/bpya~"] 'one box of cakes';
3.[bpai+] 'row' as in [tzit_bpai-(_)/i=(+)a"] 'one row of chairs';
4.[bpaK=(+/-)] 'bundle' (from verb 'to bind') as in [tzit_bpaK_/dtiK=a"] 'one bundle of bamboo poles';
5.[bpau=] 'pack' as in [tzi_bpau-/bpin-nNg+] 'one pack of betel-nuts';
6.[bpe"] 'handful' as in [tzit_bpe=(+)/swan"tau+] 'one hundful of garlic bulbs';
7.[bpit-] lit. 'a stroke of writing' for 'amount' as in [tzi_bpit=/tzi~+] 'one amount of money';
8.[bpwa~+] 'plateful';
9.[bpwe=] 'cup' as in [tzit_bpwe-/dte+] 'one cup of tea';
10.[dta~'] 'two loads carried on a pole evenly placed over the shoulder' as in [tzit_dta~"/tzNg-a"] 'one
pair of such loads of bricks';
11.[dtai+] 'carload/truckload' as in [tzit_dtai-(_)/swa=] 'a truckload of sand';
12.[dte-] 'pocket';
13.[dtin-] 'flock' as in [tzit_dtin_/hun=(+)tzyau"] 'one flock of pigeons';
14.[dtoQ-] 'table' as in [tzit_dtoQ"/tzyu=(+)tsai'] 'one table of food and alcoholic beverage';
15.[dtOng']/[dtun'] 'ton' as in [tzit_dtun"/bi"] 'one ton of rice grains'.
16.[dtwi'] 'pair' (usually of opposite attribute) as in [tzit_dtwi"/aNg-a=bO"] 'one couple of husband and wife';
17.[hu'] 'full pack' as in [tzit_hu"/si(E)Ng-le"] 'one full pack of sacrificial offerings for supernatural worship';
18.[hun=] 'a measure of land (1/10 of [qaQ-])' as in [tzit_hun-/dt(/w)e-] 'one [hun=] of land';
19.[kOK-] 'dipper' as in [tzit_kOK=/dtau_yu+] 'one dipper of soya sauce';
20.[ku=] 'lot of land' as in [tzit_ku-/qam-tzya"hNg+] 'a plantation of sugar canes';
21[kun"] 'coil' as in [tzit_kun=(+)/soQ"a"] 'one coil of rope';
22.[kut-] 'pit' as in [tzit_kut=/tzwi"] 'a pool of water'. Note swimming pools are counted by the [e+];
23.[laNg"] 'crate or handleless basket';
24.[lip=(+/-)] 'litre' as in [tzit_lip_/ga-sO=lin"] 'one liter of gasoline';
25.[na+] 'basket (usually with a handle for hand carrying)';
26.[nyu"] '1/16 of a catty';
27.[pyet-] 'dish'; cf. [pyet-] as a self-contained numerative for a stroke of writing;
28.[pun+] 'pot' as in [tzi_pun-(_)/hwe=] 'a pot of flowering plant(s)';
29.[qan=] formerly used for 'glass bottle' now replaced by [qwan'];
30.[qaQ-] 'a measure of land (0.97 hectare)' as in [tzit_qaQ"/tsan+] 'one [qaQ-] of farming land';
31.[qNg"] 'roll' as in [tzit_qNg=(+)/a-en-(_)pya~"] 'one roll of galvanized sheet';
32.[qu(i)n=] 'catty (600 grams)' as in [tzit_qu(i)n-/na=(+)bpwat_a"] 'one catty of guava';
33.[qwan'] 'can'/'glass bottle' as in [tzit_qwan"/beer] 'one (can of) beer';
34.[qwa~-] 'string' (for hand-carrying something hanging down) as in [tzit_qwa~_/en-tsyaNg+] 'a string
of sausages'; but [qwa~-] is also used as an individual numerative for necklaces;
35.[sOK-] 'bundle' as in [tzit_sOK=/hyu~=] 'a bundle of incense sticks';
36.[su=] 'set' as in [tzit_su-/se-tzOng=] 'one set of man's dress (western style)';
37.[s(y)aNg=] 'pair' as in [tzit_s(y)ang-/dtj- u_/nNg_ka-] 'there are two pieces for one pair of chopsticks';
38.[syu~=] 'cartons, trunks or boxes';
39.[taNg"] 'pail' as in [tzit_taNg=(+)/pun=] 'a pail of food leftover in water usually after washing rice';
40.[to'] 'set' as in [tzit_to"/set=bpi-] 'one set of equipment';
41.[tsOK-] 'pinch' as in [tzit_tsOK=/yam+] 'a pinch of salt';
42.[tsyam"] 'piercing stick' as in [tzit_tsyam=(+)/baQ"wan+ u_/sa~-lyap=(+/-)] 'there are three pieces for
a stick of meat-balls';
43.[tzi~+] '1/10 of [nyu"]';
44.[tzO=] 'set' as in [tzi_tzO-/len=(+)a"] 'one set of wheels';
45.[wa~"] 'bowl' as [tzit_wa~=(+)/bpNg-] 'a bowl of (cooked) rice';
Some numeratives of this category are used for words other than quantitative constructions;
e.g. [aNg-(_)bpau=] literally 'red envelop' for 'gift of money', [le=(+)ap=(+/-)] 'package of gift'.
Numeratives for grouping
[kwan"] 'type' as in [sa~-kwan=/hwe-tsau"] 'three types of print' (for clothes);
[tzyOng"] 'kind' as in [sa~tzyOng=(+)/gwan-(_)lyau-] 'three kinds of raw material';
Besides these examples, any terms for grouping may be used as numeratives. When used as attributive adjectives, quantitative constructions with numeratives for grouping are often followed by the attributive particle [e+].
Self-contained numeratives
If a measure means or implies what is being counted, the quantitative construction with such a numerative or the numerative itself is self-contained. For example, when counting repetitive actions, a quantitative construction like [sa~-bpai"] (three times) is self-contained because the numerative [bpai"] itself means repetition of an action*. Some examples follow.
*For a repetitive action taking the form of verb and object in a Hoyloy sentence, a quantitative
construction serving as an adverb, is positioned between them making it look like a modifier of the object
instead of the verb as illustrated in the following example.
[gwa" tzit=le=(+)bpai" i=(+)qi(E)Ng-\ki"/sa~bpai=/dtO-(_)su-qwan"]
'this week I have already been to three times the library', that is, '...to the library for three times'.
If you replace [sa~-bpai"] with [sa~-qi(E)Ng=] the syntax will be changed to English equivalent of
'...to three libraries' instead of '...to the libraries for three times' .
For repetition of action:
[e-], [bpai"], [bpen'] and [qai"] for 'times';
[tzwa-] for 'trips';
[dtau"] lit. 'cutting a deck of cards into two and combine them to another order', for card games;
[qyOK=(+/-)] 'set' for sport games.
For duration of time:
[dtyam=(+)tzi(E)Ng] (hour), [qaNg=]/[Rit=(+/-)] (day), [g(w)e_Rit=(+/-)] (month), [ni+] (year) etc.
For age: [h(/w)e'], e.g. [li" qwi=(+)h(/w)e'] 'how old are you?' [Ri_tzap_h(/w)e'] 'twenty'.
For distance, area or volume:
[bi"] (meter), [qOng-li"]/[ki=(+)lOQ-] (kilometer), [bpi(E)Ng+] (36 sq. ft), [lyu"be'] (cubic meter) etc.
For result of action:
[kaNg=] (hole), [pyet-] (stroke), [Ri-] (character), [sun+] (drawn line) etc.
For currencies:
[kO=]/[kO-gun+] (dollar), [sen"]/[sen=(+)tzi~+] (cent) etc.
Some self-contained quantitative constructions may take the attributive particle [e+] followed by a target
of counting. Examples:
1.[gwa" hO_/li=.sa~-dtyam=(+)tzi(E)Ng= e-(_)\si-(_)qan=] 'I will give you three hours of time';
2.[dtan+|sen'si(E)~' kyam"/gwa=.gO_bpaQ"ban-kO= e-(_)\tzi~+] 'Mr.[dtan+] owes me five million dollars
of mony'.
Such redundancy is rather rhetorical than typical. Also note that the self-contained constructions for currencies are often reduced to numbers the units of money being implicit. This is also true in case of ages as examplified above.
For description of capacity such as for a load or package [laNg+] 'person' as well as any measures are used as self-contained numeratives; e.g. [qau=(+)laNg-(_)tzo- e-(_)\syu~-a=tsya=] 'a van of nine personal seats', [gO_tzap_gO_qa-lun=tzNg= e-(_)\d(o)RO=m(u)=taNg"] 'drums of 55-gallon capacity'.
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